Author: Joseph Hayes
Sweet Spots
Gingerbread brownies? Mincemeat pie? An edible Yule log? You’ll find all kinds of holiday treats at these local bakeries.
This One’s a Keeper
Mitchell’s Fish Market has what it takes to succeed— even in a location where other seafood restaurants haven’t.
Old Faithful
At three decades and counting, Park Plaza Gardens continues to impress.
Cue Shark
Chris Nitti puts his heart into making pool sticks.
In Sanford, an October Surprise
Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café serves up a convincing German beer hall experience for Oktoberfest.
Pronounced Differences
The Boheme still stands for a posh experience, but some offerings aren’t as tasteful as the setting.
Eat Globally
You’ll have your choice of food from more than 25 countries at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
The Sweet Life of Hollis Wilder
Baking cupcakes brings her a measure of business success; a taste of fame is just icing on the cakes.
12 Hours of Sushi
One man’s marathon of this Japanese delicacy starts at lunchtime and goes late into the night.
Lucky 7
Looking to expand your dining horizons? Check out Joseph Hayes’ picks for the BEST NEW RESTAURANTS in Orlando. They serve everything from Turkish cuisine to Spanish selections, Afro-Indian dishes to Greek delicacies, first-rate seafood to Italian (and Italian-Brazilian) offerings.
Drinks Made Responsibly
Two locals produce vino and vodka, both, coincidentally, in Oregon, with the best intentions.
A Movie Theater With Good Taste
At Enzian, an upscale dinner and an indie movie share top billing.
Fantastic Voyage
At Fiorella’s Cucina Toscana, the chef’s imagination makes the food taste almost too good to be true.
Harris Rosen’s Storied Life
Talking restaurants, Khrushchev and Marilyn Monroe with the prominent hotelier.
Dad's Day Duos
Give Dad a shiny new grill for Father’s Day and he may decide to barbecue instead of chill. We’ve found some snazzy cookers that will make Pop’s eyes pop out, along with thoughtful smaller gifts you can pair with the big one to say “Thanks, Dad – and make mine medium rare."
On Park Avenue, a Precious Jewel
A change in location puts Paris Bistro on the road to perfection.
John Rivers Is Smokin’
The former healthcare exec has customers lined up outside his new corner office, Four Rivers Smokehouse, waiting for barbecue.
2010 Dining Hall of Fame
Orlando magazine honors two chef-owners, a waiter and an oyster bar as Dining Hall of Fame inductees. The Dining Hall of Fame recognizes individuals and establishments with lasting ties to the local dining scene.
Eco-Things
A gathering of green products that stress conserving, recycling, and innovating.
Not So Fast
John Gabrovic, a founder of Slow Food Orlando and the Harmoni restaurants, favors food that is locally produced.
Good Spirits
In Florida, an emerging boutique industry is offering distinctive versions of gin, vodka and whiskey.
Test Kitchen
At this culinary school’s student-run restaurant, the chefs of tomorrow get a passing grade.
‘The Light’ Shines at Hilton Resort
La Luce’s tasty and quirky Italian dishes put a new luxury hotel on the dining map.
The Best Sandwiches in Orlando
From Maine to Mexico, the Windy City to the Texas Badlands, one thing we all have in common is the sandwich. Fanatical fans of food stuffed into bread can spend hours debating the merits of Reuben over Cuban and sub vs. club. And I can hear the grumbling from the burgermeisters and frankfanatics in the audience—sorry, as far as I’m concerned they ain’t sandwiches. Having spent weeks sampling sandwiches from the sublime to the truly inedible, I can recommend the following six as the best of what Orlando has to offer.
The Rice Stuff
Mi Tomatina’s paella contradicts Americans’ notions about rice stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Our Town
People and places that define Orlando
Covered Dishes
At Stone’s Throw Bistro, chef Rich Lendino tops off his fare with flavorful sauces.
The End of 2009 Is Reason to Cheer
Celebrate New Year’s Eve with five great sparkling wines. (And celebrate the holidays in general with two bubbly dessert wines.)
No Subtitle Needed at Disney’s Sanaa
The cuisine—African or Indian, or a bit of both—at the new restaurant in the Animal Kingdom Lodge speaks a universal language.
Continental Divide
The Oriental offerings easily outmatch the Ottoman ones at Chi in Baldwin Park.
Daily Specials
The romance of the diner is alive and well in Orlando, where the old-school eateries often serve as places for friends to gather.
Slim Pickings
Lightweight netbooks are all the rage in the laptop market. There are enough differences in each of these micro-beauties to make choosing just one very difficult.
A Paradise Found at Pleasure Island
The new Paradiso 37 isn't quite as billed, but the quality of the food makes up for that.
Over Drinks, She's Charming
The 'Cocktail Queen of Orlando' likes to stir things up.
Sip in Style
Dining critic Joseph Hayes selects eight wines-four reds and four whites-that are 'in' this season. All labels are available at local wine retailers.
Over Drinks, She’s Charming
The ‘Cocktail Queen of Orlando’ likes to stir things up.
Two Worlds, 20 Steps Apart
The differences between neighbors Bull & Bush Pub and The Social Chameleon work in your favor.
The Producers
Local farmers and food specialists are helping Orlando-area restaurants to get back to basics.
7 Best New Restaurants
Since the beginning of 2008 we’ve seen many a restaurant door open, with a select few making a real impression on the local dining scene. Here are the best new eateries listed by their individual types of dining: American, Asian, Cuban, Italian, prix fixe, health-conscious and eclectic.
Recipe for Success
The Black Olive opens amid tough times in the restaurant business. But its food and ambiance give it a fighting chance to prevail.
17 Service Slip-Ups That Can Ruin a Meal
Bad service comes in many forms, none of them conducive to great dining.
Rivers’ Edge
Commercial success may have eluded sax player Sam Rivers, but not the respect of his peers. At 85 and in frail health, he’s still showing musicians the way.
The Father of Inventions
Forget buying neckties for Dad’s Day. What all patriarchs long for are sharp objects, long, straight drives, and Bond-worthy technology. Here are some gift ideas.
How We Built a Green (Lite) House
For (mostly) selfish reasons, we chose to be environmentally responsible when we remodeled our College Park home.
We are probably like a lot of people. We like to be aware of what we consume and what we waste, but we’re not fanatical about living a green life. We eat junk food on occasion and we often forget to bring our own bags to the supermarket. We’ve been known to drive to breakfast instead of walking to Christos, only a block away. You might say we live “green lite.”
So when we took on the enormous task of remodeling our two-bedroom, one-bath College Park cottage a few years back, we tried to be sensitive to the environment by using sustainable or recycled materials. But to be honest, a lot of our reasons for going green were selfish: an eco-friendly home costs less to maintain in the long run, looks better and provides a healthier place to live.
Every Little Bit Helps
You can lessen your impact on the environment in dozens of ways. Here are 9 products made with the three R’s—reduce, reuse and recycle—in mind.
Stage Fright
As the economy swoons, local theaters realize that the shows can’t go on.
